A ROYAL LOUIS XV ORMOLU-MOUNTED BOIS SATINE AND PARQUETRY COMMODE

BY PIERRE WALTER, DELIVERED TO MADAME DE POMPADOUR CIRCA 1751 FOR THE CHATEAU DE BELLEVUE

A ROYAL LOUIS XV ORMOLU-MOUNTED BOIS SATINE AND PARQUETRY COMMODE
BY PIERRE WALTER, DELIVERED TO MADAME DE POMPADOUR CIRCA 1751 FOR THE CHATEAU DE BELLEVUE
With serpentine sarrancolin marble top above two drawers, the bottom of one drawer inscribed in black ink 8336, the back inscribed in black ink No. 19, the underside of the marble inscribed in black ink with inventory number 21 and N, the back branded with the Marque au feu of the Château de Bellevue BV beneath a closed crown surmounted by a Fleur-de-lys, and with indistinct ink inscription Br...geff...t, stamped J.WALTER JME to rear left upright, the mounts stamped with the 'C Couronné Poinçon'
33in. (85cm.) high, 31in. (80.5cm.) wide, 20in. (51cm.) deep

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Lot Essay

Pierre Walter, maître before 1738.

The C-couronné poinçon was a tax mark employed between March 1745 and February 1749 on any alloy containing copper.

The first mention of this commode is found in the Journal du Garde-Meuble de la Couronne on 1 January 1763 (1). This listed the furniture bought by Louis XV six years earlier with the château de Bellevue:

At this date the commode was in the garde-robe de l'appartement no. 6 on the ground floor of the château. After Mesdames were exiled from Bellevue during the Revolution, an inventory was taken of the furniture, which was then sold on the premises. This is the last trace of the commode until 1993.

Madame de Pompadour had the château de Bellevue built by Gabriel. Finished by Lassurance, Bellevue was inaugurated by the favorite in the presence of the king and the court on 25 November 1750. The interior decoration continued until 1752. The marchand-mercier Lazare Duvaux furnished the major part of the ébénisterie and bronzes d'ameublement. For example, in December 1751 he delivered:Une commode de 28 po (76cm.) en bois satiné, garnie en bronze doré d'ormoulu au No 2 118 L.

The second apartment was on the ground floor of the château beneath the entry vestibule.

The ébéniste Walter worked from his shop on the rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine for the ébéniste François Mondon (1694-1770) and the marchand-ébéniste Pierre Migeon (1701-58), who supplied Madame de Pompadour.